1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to refill containers. More particularly the invention relates to refill containers storing at least two products. The invention also relates to refill containers for holding consumer products such as cosmetic or care products. The refill container of the present invention is configured to comprise at least two receptacles abutting each other, wherein either all the receptacles contain a similar product or a related product or a tool. There is also disclosed a refill container that provides an indication of the kind and actual color of the product stored in it thereby making the merchandising easy and also making it easier for the consumer for choosing the product during storage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Refill containers for consumer products are considered environmental friendly in a way that lesser material is utilized in their manufacturing. These are also economical for the consumers as well as manufacturers. The consumers don't have to spend the same amount of money for the refills while for manufacturers they enable lower consumption of inputs such as raw materials and energy. Various attempts have been made to refine make-up packages such as compacts, lipsticks, etc. to provide an option of refilling the product. The known refill containers for cosmetic products generally comprise of a refillable case that houses the product which may or may not have a propelling/dispensing mechanism therefore and such refills are then replaced into the refillable case once the product is used by the user. For example, there are available stick product packages which are refillable where a refill cartridge is replaced once the stick is used up by the user. There are also available compact cases in which the pans are refillable. However, the refillable cases existing are such that they show the color or kind of product either through transparent covers or there are present adhesive labels at the base of the refillable case. However, when the cover and base of the refillable case are opaque there remains no option for the consumer to remember the color or kind of product replaced by him/her in the refillable case. Therefore, there exists a problem of the color or kind of product not being able to be seen once the refill is housed in the refillable case. Further, as yet there is not available any refill container which has multiple product storage. Therefore, it would be desirable if a refill container is available which shows color once it is housed in the container. Also, a refill container with multiple product storage would be more economical for the consumer. Moreover, such a refill container would prove to be more sustainable as this would be creating lesser burden on the environment.
Most of the refillable packages are available for stick consumer products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,607 to Sugiyama discloses a retractable-type cosmetic container that includes a holder having a cosmetic projecting-retracting means and adapted to be mounted on a manipulating member provided separately from the holder, and a cap closure. An inner tube of the holder is provided at its lower end with an opening of angular shape within which a hollow projection of the manipulating member is detachably engaged for unitary rotation of the member and the inner tube. Similarly U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,040 to Holloway discloses a refill cartridge comprising a cosmetic holder including a tubular inner body, a tubular cam sleeve covering tubular inner body, and an elevator cup within inner body and a retaining means is provided to hold the refill and the base member together.
However, these packages have a limitation of not being able to show the kind or color of product to the user while on the shelf or under storage and the user therefore would open every package to choose the product or while at home would open each package before every usage to select the color/kind of product. In case of a refillable lipstick when the content of the product remaining in the package is very less then the user would also need to propel the stick rather than just open the cap to identify the product stored. These steps result in the product being exposed frequently which in turn may become a cause of contamination as well as drying out of the product.
Further, there are also problems during usage as the user would not be able to identify/remember the color of the product that has been replaced and hence the user would open the package before every usage. Conventional visual indicators of the color and kind of product in make-up sticks are often adhesive labels that can be inadvertently removed from the package. Further, other existing refillable packages do not have visual color indicators that are interchangeable, so that a user cannot retain the existing case and replace the product and the color indicator with a different color.
United States Patent Application No. US 2008/0152418 to Maddy discloses a color insert configured in a cap of container to indicate the color of the cosmetic product contained in a container. The insert is coupled to the cap and is replaceable. However, it requires manual efforts of the user to change the color insert in the cap every time the cartridge is replaced. This again is an added step which would be time-consuming for the users. Today, consumers want on-the-go products so that they don't have to do much. Moreover, if the user forgets to change the color insert of the cap then again he/she has to face the same difficulties as in conventional refillable packages.
Therefore, it is desirable that the user gets a visual indication of the kind and color of product every time he/she replaces the refill without the need for the user to carry out any additional work other than replacing the desired refill. Further, a refill container with multiple product storage would be more economical for the consumer and at the same time would prove to be more sustainable as this would be creating lesser burden on the environment.